50 Jewish Quotes on Things to Do "Always"

Rabbinic
literature is studded with instructions of things that a person should do “le’olam,” always. Some of these are clearly advice
to be lived with on a daily basis, while others apply in specific situations.
Culled from Talmud, Midrash, Zohar, and other sources, and translated into
English, these pithy quotes have been grouped into categories for you to
contemplate, internalize, and share.

On Living Righteously

1. A person should always consider himself to be half wicked and half righteous. If he did one mitzvah, praiseworthy is he, for he tipped himself toward the side of righteousness. If he sinned, woe is to him, for he tipped himself toward the side of guilt.1

2. A person should always [prefer to] live in a neighborhood of lions rather than a city of evildoers.2

3. A person should always engage in Torah and mitzvot before he dies; once he is dead he is idle from Torah and mitzvot and unable to praise G‑d.3

4. A person should always [prefer] to be pursued rather than to pursue others.4

5. A person should always act [in a dignified manner] as if he is a Torah scholar.5

6. A person should always engage in Torah and mitzvot, even if not for their own sake, as through it one comes to perform them for their own sake.6

On Living Wisely

7. A person should always [take care] not cast his thoughts backwards [to the past], for his eyes are placed on his face and not his back.7

11. A person should always push away with his [weak] left hand, but draw near with his [strong] right hand.11

12. A person should always [take care] not [to] stand in a place of danger, insisting that a miracle will be performed for him. Perhaps a miracle will not be performed for him, and if a miracle is done, it will detract from his merits.12

13. A person should always be careful about [not causing] suffering [for] his wife.13

On Alacrity

14. One should always rise early to go to the synagogue in order to have the privilege to be counted among the first ten.14

15. A person should make himself like a captain [on the lookout for ways] to perform a mitzvah.15

16. A person should always view himself as if the entire world depends on him.16

17. A person should always incite his good inclination against his evil inclination.17

Rabbi Menachem Posner serves as staff editor at Chabad.org, the world’s largest Jewish informational website. He has been writing, researching, and editing for Chabad.org since 2006, when he received his rabbinic degree from Central Yeshiva Tomchei Temimin Lubavitch. He resides in Chicago, Ill., with his family.

Thank you Rabbi Posner for putting this together. Could you say more about item #46? I understand the importance of having shoes, but also having a roof over the head of one's family is important. I'm sure there's more to this than I understand. Thank you.
Reply

EllenDunedin, FLNovember 15, 2018

Often kind of think of this one: "A person should always engage in Torah and mitzvot before he dies; once he is dead he is idle from Torah and mitzvot and unable to praise G‑d.3" --- I mean as far as praising the Creator with our lives; but is there not life after in which to praise Him?
Reply

BNovember 17, 2018

in response to Ellen:

Our souls are still there and can praise Him, but we can not do what we can in the physical world which is turning physicality into spirituality, doing Mitzvos that help make the world a better place. We have to take the opportunity while we are in this world, once we are above, we don’t have the privilege of doing this anymore. Angels, who are G-d’s helpers also can not do this work which is a benefit we have above them.
Reply

David ChesterPetach Tikva, IsraelNovember 15, 2018

Trivia?
I find many of these instructions to be trivial and not worthwhile because they detract from the more general criterion for our thoughts and behavior. This is by the the teaching of Hillel the Elder, who told us to follow the Torah by the avoidance of offending others in ways that would be offensive if they were done to us instead.
Reply

Tremendous help to those who want to apply the wisdom in different fields when required.It saves a lot of heartache.
Reply

AnonymousNYCNovember 14, 2018

Well....so far I "blew" 7 & 8. I look backwards frequently, especially to remind myself that there are certain people in my midst that are poison in my life. It remains a challenge to "ignore" certain family members or supposed friends as I am apt to forgive and forgive and forgive while they continue to be poison. Oh well.Then, #8....keep a low profile. Oops...no can do. To every ant-Semite that has directly verbally assaulted me as a Jew and an Israeli....I cannot "sit idly by". I have somewhat of an interesting reputation in my community.
Reply

JewNew JerseyNovember 14, 2018

I noticed a typo. #29 above says: 'A person should always speak but a few words before G‑d' with the quote from Berachos 61A. However, looking up Berachos 61A instead reads: 'And Rav Huna said that Rav said in the name of Rabbi Meir: One’s words should always be few before the Holy One, Blessed be He, as it is stated: “Be not rash with your mouth and let not your heart be hasty to utter a word before G-d; for G-d is in heaven, and you upon earth. Therefore, let your words be few” (Ecclesiastes 5:1).'

A closer examination reveals the opposite of being 'of few words': 'Doesn't G-d call us His children? "You are children to the L-rd your G-d" (Deuteronomy 14:1) . Therefore it is good to express your thoughts and feelings and all your troubles to G-d, like a child nagging and complaining to his father.' (Sichot Haran #7), and 'Many great and famous Tzaddikim have said that all their achievements came only through Hitbodedut.' (Likutey Moharan II, 25)
Reply

LiliyaNYCNovember 14, 2018

Can you clarify the meaning of this line? What does pursued mean in this context?

A person should always [prefer] to be pursued rather than to pursue others.4
Reply

Vincent VandermierFloridaNovember 14, 2018

in response to Liliya:

A Holy Righteous Jewish person must always attempt to be pleasing to others so others will see the good in you and want to pursue you and learn from you to how to please HaShem.
Reply

MarcSydneyNovember 14, 2018

in response to Liliya:

It means chase after other people to obtain things, whereas it is better to be pursued by others for favours.
Reply

sheila artzqueensNovember 14, 2018

Thank you. My spirits have been down due to my husband's spirits and this has lifted my soul
Reply

Chaya CohenBrooklynNovember 14, 2018

Thank you. I appreciated the time and effort put into this marvelous piece of work. Precious words to live by!
Reply

M.Erdogan SuratAngoraNovember 14, 2018

All those orders based of Torah compelled to me to whisper::"Shema Yisrael A....Eloenu A....Ehad!"
Reply

AnonymousparisNovember 14, 2018

a great great great article thank you so much for it.it has probably been a long work from you and we really appreciate. it's of tremendous help for us.thank you for sharing.does the article exist in Hebrew , (with the psoukim) ?
Reply

Menachem PosnerNovember 15, 2018

in response to Anonymous:

This exact list does not exist in Hebrew. However, all sources are cited, so you can look them up in Hebrew with relative ease.
Reply

AnonymousAltusNovember 14, 2018

Most of this just sounds like common sense to me , why does this and must this be attached to religion ?
Reply

Kevin ConleyEden PrairieNovember 14, 2018

in response to Anonymous:

I don't think it's about having to be 'attached' to 'religion.' It's about being willing to discipline ourselves to be obedient to something greater and better than ourselves. The good, the wise, the prudent, the upright, the kind; these are not things that one requires knowledge of in the way you have to learn arithmetic to be able to balance your checkbook. Rather it's about the practice of right living solely for it's own sake, for no other reason that that G-d commands it of us, It's G-d's gift to us, so that we have a way to fulfill our part of the Covenant.
Reply

AnonymousParisNovember 14, 2018

in response to Anonymous:

Torah is G-d giving us instructions for living. People think there is life and we add to it a religion.But Judaism is not that way. Judaism is the way G-d explained to us how to manage our life. So yes it includes all advice that is good for humankind.
Reply